“Inside the Brand: Stefano Grasselli’s Perspective” is a new series of articles published by PressMare and written by Stefano Grasselli, a manager with more than thirty years of experience in communications, marketing and the management of internationally recognised brands. Currently Vice President Brands & Communication – Boat Division at Groupe Beneteau, Grasselli has held senior positions throughout his career with leading companies in the luxury yachting industry, including Ferretti Group and Azimut-Benetti Group, as well as in the automotive sector with brands such as Maserati, Ducati, Volvo and Peugeot Automobiles.

Through this series of contributions, he offers a managerial perspective on the boating industry, addressing the issues that are currently influencing brand value, market strategies and the evolution of the sector, combining international experience with first-hand knowledge of industrial dynamics.

The title of this first article is “The Nautical Brand in the Contemporary Era: Identity, Premiumisation and Global Strategy.” Enjoy the read.

What is a nautical brand today?

In today’s industrial landscape, the concept of a brand goes far beyond a simple logo or the commercial name of a product. This evolution affects the manufacturing sector as a whole, but takes on a particular significance in recreational boating, reflecting changes in the market, boat owners and society at large.

Today, a nautical brand is much more than a boatbuilder. It is a system of values, a cultural identity and a promise to the customer. It is the synthesis of a history, technical expertise, aesthetics and a vision. It is not only about the quality of a boat, but also about a lifestyle, a way of experiencing the sea and the combination of emotions and aspirations with which an owner chooses to identify.

In this respect, Groupe Beneteau — founded in 1884 in Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie, Vendée, and today a world leader in recreational boating — represents a particularly significant case study. Over more than 140 years of history, it has transformed a small artisanal business established to build sailing fishing boats into an industrial group listed on Euronext Paris, with a portfolio of nine international brands, more than 7,000 employees representing 42 nationalities and a worldwide distribution network.

What does it mean to be a global nautical brand today? First and foremost, it means knowing how to tell an authentic story. Today’s boat owner is better informed, more demanding and more aware than in the past. Slogans or promises unsupported by facts are unlikely to win them over: they look for authenticity, consistency and continuity between what a brand communicates and what it actually designs, builds and delivers. In this respect, Groupe Beneteau’s long-standing heritage represents a major competitive advantage: few boatbuilders can claim more than 140 years of uninterrupted history in the industry.

Being a nautical brand today also means facing new challenges: the ecological transition, changing patterns in the way boats are used, the digitalisation of services, growing demand for customisation and competitive pressure from new players emerging from markets such as China and Turkey. To address these challenges, Groupe Beneteau defined its “Let’s Go Beyond!” strategic plan, launched in 2020, which reshaped the group’s brand portfolio, industrial organisation and long-term vision.

Finally, there is another challenge shared by all major boatbuilders: being global without losing the ability to speak to individual markets. A brand must be able to communicate just as effectively with an Italian boat owner, a Japanese customer or an Australian sailor, adapting its language, commercial approach and offering to the cultural characteristics of each country. It is a delicate balance that requires a flexible organisational structure, a strong network of commercial partners and in-depth knowledge of the markets in which the group operates.

The impact of brand identity on the product range

One of the fundamental principles of brand management is consistency: every product must tangibly represent the identity of the brand to which it belongs. At Groupe Beneteau, this principle is particularly relevant because the group manages nine distinct brands, each with a clearly defined identity, positioning and target audience.

The group’s four global brands — Beneteau, Jeanneau, Prestige and Lagoon — represent different ways of experiencing the sea, while sharing the company’s core values: passion, audacity, a spirit of conquest and transmission. This plurality of identities is a deliberate strategic choice. It enables Groupe Beneteau to cover very different market segments, from entry-level to high-end products, from sail to power, and from monohulls to multihulls.

Beneteau, the group’s historic brand, combines the French sailing tradition with technological innovation. This identity is reflected across its various product ranges: Oceanis, designed for comfortable and safe cruising, and the Antares and Flyer powerboat lines, aimed at a more direct and immediate way of enjoying the sea. Every design decision, from styling and technical solutions to equipment and layouts, reflects the brand’s values: accessibility, quality, elegance and performance without compromising comfort.

Jeanneau, which joined Groupe Beneteau in 1995, has built its identity around the pleasure and freedom of boating. The Sun Odyssey, Merry Fisher and Sun Sport ranges share a philosophy centred on conviviality, functionality and value for money, while maintaining a strong focus on aesthetics and technical content.

Prestige, meanwhile, represents the group’s expression of the luxury segment. Its larger models are produced mainly at the Italian shipyard in Monfalcone, and the brand interprets its positioning through design, build quality, technological innovation and attention to interiors. Its tagline, “The Art of Yachting”, encapsulates this vision: every yacht is conceived as a space in which comfort and the onboard experience play a central role.

Lagoon has built its identity around freedom of navigation, space and ease of use. The leadership it has achieved in the global cruising catamaran market demonstrates how a clear and consistent brand identity can contribute to establishing a benchmark position within a specific segment.

Alongside these four core brands, Groupe Beneteau also develops five high-potential brands — Four Winns, Wellcraft, Scarab, Delphia and Excess — each focused on specific types of customers and uses, ranging from recreational boating for the North American market to performance catamarans and boats designed for inland and coastal cruising.

The identity of each brand is not merely a communication tool; it is one of the criteria guiding the entire product development process. It influences design decisions, styling, materials, propulsion technologies, pricing policy and commercial communication. This ability to maintain distinct identities while benefiting from the industrial synergies of a major international group is one of the defining characteristics of the Groupe Beneteau model.

Premiumisation and volumes: balancing value and growth

Few challenges are more complex for a boatbuilder today than finding the right balance between the increasing premiumisation of the market and the need to maintain production volumes capable of supporting competitiveness and market share. It is a structural tension that every industrial group has to address.

Premiumisation is not a passing trend, but a long-term development driven by changes in the market and in boat owners’ expectations. Today, customers are looking for boats with more sophisticated design, greater technological content, more opportunities for customisation and improved sustainability. In other words, they are no longer simply buying a boat, but an increasingly complete ownership and boating experience for which they are prepared to recognise greater value.

Groupe Beneteau has responded to this evolution through what could be described as a differentiated premiumisation strategy. On the one hand, it has progressively raised quality levels across its entire range, introducing higher construction standards, new design solutions, advanced technologies, hybrid and electric propulsion systems, onboard connectivity and new-generation materials, including on brands traditionally positioned in entry-level segments. On the other, it has strengthened the premium positioning of brands such as Prestige and Lagoon by developing larger boats with increasingly advanced technological content.

A strategy of this kind inevitably involves certain risks. The main one is brand dilution: if a historically accessible brand moves too far upmarket, it risks losing part of its existing customer base without succeeding in attracting customers from the premium segment, where brands with established reputations already operate. For this reason, Groupe Beneteau manages the positioning of each brand with particular care, preserving its identity and consistency.

In terms of volumes, the group’s industrial strategy is based on three pillars identified in the Let’s Go Beyond! plan: greater integration between marketing and design during the early stages of product development, the adoption of industrialisation models based on families of boats, and the progressive expansion of shared components and systems across different brands. The objective is to improve production efficiency, optimise costs and increase the ability to respond to market fluctuations.

The balance between value and volumes therefore translates into a multi-layered structure. At the top are premium brands such as Prestige, which make a significant contribution to the group’s profitability and image. At the base, Beneteau and Jeanneau provide the production volumes essential to its industrial strength. Between these two ends of the spectrum, specialised brands such as Lagoon, Excess and Four Winns cover specific market segments, contributing in different ways to the group’s overall performance.

Product lifecycle management also plays a central role in maintaining this balance. The continuous renewal of the ranges sustains the perception of innovation associated with the brands and helps maintain market interest. The launch of a new generation of iconic models, such as Oceanis or Sun Odyssey, is not simply a product update, but an opportunity to strengthen brand image, media attention and commercial performance at the same time.

Being global without ceasing to be local

One of the most complex strategic challenges for an international group is the ability to build a consistent brand identity on a global scale while retaining the flexibility needed to respond to the requirements of individual markets.

This is the principle of glocalisation, a concept that takes on particular significance in boating. The way people experience the sea varies considerably from one country to another: boating traditions, regulations, aesthetic preferences, patterns of boat use, distribution networks and even seasonality differ substantially between Europe, the United States, Asia and Australia.

Over the years, Groupe Beneteau has developed an organisational model that represents one of its main strengths. The group’s mission — “Bringing Dreams to Water” — remains the same worldwide, but it is applied differently depending on the brands and their target markets. The industrial structure reflects the same philosophy. Production facilities are strategically distributed across France, Italy and the other countries in which the group operates. This is not simply a matter of production efficiency, but also reflects a desire to maintain cultural and technical proximity to the relevant markets.

The Monfalcone shipyard is a significant example. Specialised in building the larger models of the Beneteau, Jeanneau and Prestige brands, it embodies a wealth of typically Mediterranean expertise reflected in the quality of the interiors, attention to detail and the approach to construction.

The same principle guides the commercial organisation. The group can rely on a network of more than one thousand distributors worldwide, selected not only for their commercial capabilities but also for their knowledge of local markets and their ability to represent the values of the brands while respecting different boating cultures. This extensive presence is one of the strategic assets built up over time. It is not the result of occasional growth, but of a long process of investment and relationships developed with dealers and commercial partners.

Glocalisation is also reflected in product development. Certain configurations, layouts and specific equipment are adapted to the characteristics of different markets.

In the United States, for example, boat owners look for different standards of comfort and levels of equipment compared with their European counterparts. Asian markets, meanwhile, place particular emphasis on bright interiors, generous living spaces and onboard technologies. The challenge is to respond to these requirements without compromising brand identity. Achieving this balance requires experience, a direct presence in the markets and a deep understanding of different boating cultures.

The same approach applies to communication. The identity of each brand is defined through global messages expressing its values and positioning, while individual markets develop tools and campaigns capable of engaging with their own culture and communication channels. Perhaps more than many other sectors, boating is driven by passion, communities and shared identities. For an international brand, the ability to communicate authentically with these communities is one of the most important elements in building lasting relationships with boat owners.

Groupe Beneteau towards the future: an integrated vision

The path outlined so far provides a clear picture of what Groupe Beneteau represents in today’s global boating industry and how it is addressing the sector’s main challenges.

With more than 140 years of history, the group has never regarded its heritage as something to be preserved passively. On the contrary, it has continued to evolve, adapting its organisation, brands and products to changes in the market without abandoning the values that have accompanied its growth.

This vision is encapsulated in the “Bringing Dreams to Water” mission and the “Let’s Go Beyond!” strategic plan, which interpret recreational boating as an experience of freedom and discovery that should be made accessible to as many boat owners as possible while respecting the marine environment.

This approach has led to specific industrial choices, including investment in the development of hybrid and electric propulsion systems and research into solutions capable of reducing the environmental impact of boats.

At the same time, the group continues to develop a multi-brand model in which each brand retains its own identity while benefiting from the industrial, technological and commercial synergies made possible by the group’s scale.

Its premiumisation strategy follows the same logic. Rather than pursuing the ultra-luxury segment, Groupe Beneteau has chosen to progressively raise the perceived quality of its entire offering, strengthening the value of its brands without abandoning the segments that generate the volumes required for industrial solidity.

The same approach characterises the group’s international presence. A distributed production network, an extensive commercial structure and in-depth knowledge of local markets make it possible to maintain a global identity while adapting products, services and communication, where necessary, to the specific characteristics of individual countries.

Ultimately, Groupe Beneteau today represents much more than a boatbuilder. It is an industrial group that has built its growth on the ability to combine brand identity, innovation, organisation and strategic vision. For those working in the boating industry, its experience offers a broader point for reflection: the value of a brand does not derive solely from the quality of the boats it builds, but from the consistency with which it delivers on the promises it makes to its owners over time. It is this continuity that transforms a boatbuilder into an internationally recognised brand.